Pipe wrench



18, 6- w. o. THEWES 2,051,755

PIPE WRENCH Filed 0ct 26, 1934 Ihwentor W/lZ/A/V 0. THEM/5 Bu GttornegsPatented Aug. 18, 1936 {UNITED STATES P I PE WRENCH giWilliam 0.ThewesyNorthRidgeville, Ohio, as-

signor. to The Ridge Tool Company, North Ridgeville Ohio, a corporationof Ohio i I Application October'ZG, 1934, Serial No. 750,17'9' 4 Claims.

This invention relates to pipe wrenches, and the primary object of thesame is to provide a wrench of this type which .may be manufactured andassembled at a relatively low costjandwh ich at the same time embodiesimproved features as regards strength, 'working action and neatness inappearance and design. I v g .J'The foregoing and other objects andadvantages will become apparent in view of the follow:

ing description taken in conjunctionjwith the drawing, wherein: f

Figural is a view in side elevation of a wrench embodying the'feature'sof the invention;

2 isasection taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Figs. '3 and 4 are sectional views substantially similar to Fig. 2 butshowing different types of jaw-housing springs and anchoring memberstherefor; and Figs. 3a and 4a are detail views of parts used in theforms shown in. Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 5 designatesthe handle portion of the wrench and 6 the fixed jaw portion havingfixed thereon a jaw plate I. The movable jaw is indicated at 8 and isformed with the usual threaded shank 9 adapted for longitudinal movementin a longitudinal opening Illa formed in a yoke member or housing In andis provided with an adjusting nut II. The housing is provided with afront portion through which the fixed jaw portion 6 extends and a rearportion which houses the shank of the movable jaw.

The present invention is centered around the construction andcooperative arrangement of the housing I, springs l2 and fixed jawportion 6.

The housing In is pivoted at lOb to the fixed jaw portion 6 and isprovided with a transverse opening or recess 13 in which the adjustingnut II is mounted. The springs I2 are of the coil or compression type,and in the form of the wrench shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said springs aresubstantially cone-shaped with the reduced end of each seated inthrough-bores or recesses I4 and [4a formed in opposed walls of thelongitudinal opening [5 of the housing It, and the free ends thereofbearing against opposed sides or edges of the fixed jaw portion 6 andresiliently maintaining the housing Ill and through the latter themovable jaw 8 in a neutral or floating position with respect to thefixed jaw 1.

There are certain important advantages provided by the foregoingconstruction, among which may be mentioned the following:

The handle 5 and its integral fixed jaw portion 6 may be formed free ofholes or recesses such as are generally necessary in certain other typesPATENT OFFICE of pipe wrenches to accommodate the attachment of leafsprings or other parts, which holes or recesses have a tendency toweaken a wrench at the point where the greatest stress is applied inservice. The "springs l2 exert their neutralizing 5 or.jaW-fioatingpressure at diametrically opposed points on'the housingllland do not have the tendency to become unequalized or displacedofttimes present in wrenches embodying springs of the leaf type orlothertypes of differently located 10 springs, and this combined with the factthat the springs lZmay be relatively strong while at the same time' themovablejaw may have a fairly snug fitand yet' be free for unhinderedadjustinent inthe opening 'lBa formed in the rear por- 15 tion of thehousing I!) results in a highly improved working action with more pepthroughout the life of the wrench. The springs I2 may be easily replacedat a negligible cost, and the wrench as a whole may be manufactured and20 assembled at a relatively lowcost without sacrificing quality. Thereare no protruding parts to scratch the hands or otherwise annoy the userof the wrench, and the latter has a generally neat appearance. 25

In Figs. 3 and 3a, the arrangement is such as to produce the sameadvantageous results found in the wrench shown in Fig. 1, but in thisinstance the springs l2a are carried by a holder I6 which, as shown, isformed of a strip of resilient 3o sheet metal which is snapped in placein the opening l5 of the housing I00. If desired, the walls of saidopening may be formed with a shallow recess in which the holder l6 maybe seated to insure against displacement thereof. 35 The holder I6 ispreferably formed with ears 5a in which the one end of each of thesprings |2a is inserted, said ears preferably being formed simply bypunching the metal of the holder l6 inwardly. With this construction itis not neces- 40 sary to form holes l4 and Na in the housing as in Figs.1 and 2.

In Figs. 4 and 4a a further modified type of spring construction isshown. In this instance the spring I 21) may be made in one piece, as 45shown in detail in Fig. 4a, preferably consisting of a single piecespring wire which is bent into the form of coil springs at oppositeextremities thereof and having side portions which normally bear againstthe side walls of the housing. In 50 this instance also it may bedesired to form a shallow recess in which to seat the spring or the sideportions thereof. In Figs. 3 and 4, the fixed jaw portion is indicatedat Go and the shank of the movable jaw at 9a. 7 1 55 It will be notedthat in each of the forms shown, the neutralizing springs are located insubstantially the same positions and are of substantially the same typeand in conjunction with the construction and mounting of the housing l0effect the same advantageous results.

It will be understood that certain minor changes in structure and designmay be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims. s

I claim:

1. A pipe wrench comprising a handle and a fixed jaw portion formedintegrally therewithand having a fixed jaw thereon, a movable jaw havinga shank, a jaw housing pivotally connected to the fixed jaw portion andhaving a front portion through which the fixed jaw portion extends and arear portion through which the shank of the movable jaw extends, a pairof opposed coil springs mounted in the front portion of said housing,and means for retaining said springs in position in said housing, saidmeans comprising a sheet metal holder which is 'moun'ted in the frontportion of said housing and is provided with ears in which the one endof each of said springs is inserted. v

2. A pipe wrench comprising a handle and a fixed jaw portion formedintegrally therewith and having a fixed jaw thereon, a movable jawhaving a shank, a housing for the movable jaw pivotally connected to thefixed jaw portion, and coil springs disposed in opposed relation in thefront portion of said housing and bearing against opposed sides of thefixed jaw portion .to thereby n maintain the housing and the movable jawcar-' ried thereby in a floated position with respect to the fixed jaw,said springs being formed of a single piece of wire which has itsopposite extremities bent into the form of coil springs and its centralportion connecting said springs and bearing against the side walls ofthe housing to thereby retain the spring in position in said housing.

3. In a pipe wrench, a floating jaw, a housing therefor, a support forthe housing, said housing being pivoted at one extremity to said supportand at its opposite extremity having a portion which encompasses saidsupport, coacting coil springs disposed on opposite sides of saidsupport and bearing against said portion of the housing to therebymaintain the housing and the jaw carried thereby in a floating position,and means for holding said springs in frictional engagement with saidportion to thereby avoid the formation of weakening spring-seatingrecesses in either the housing or support.

. 4. A pipe wrench comprising a handle and a fixed jaw portion thereon,a movable jaw having a shank, a jaw housing pivotally connected to thefixed jaw portion and having a front portion through which the fixed jawportion extends and a rear portion through which the shank of themovable jaw extends, a pair of opposed coil' springs mounted in thefront portion of said housing, and means for retaining said spring inposition in said housing comprising a sheet metal holder which ismounted in the front portion of said housing and having means forholding the springs in position. v

. WILLIAM O. THEWES.

